Dental implants are typically packaged and shipped in a package that includes an implant delivery system. The implant delivery system is maintained in a sterile environment and is opened just before the implant is needed during the surgical implantation procedure.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of one such prior dental delivery system shown generally at 10. Delivery system 10 includes a vial 12 housing a threaded implant 14 and a driver mount 16.
The vial (shown as a partial cross-sectional view) has an elongated cylindrical configuration forming an internal cavity with a shoulder 13. The vial is used to transport the implant and driver mount. A lid (not shown) fits on top of the vial to seal and retain the implant and driver mount.
Implant 14 is shown having an external threaded section 18 and a top coronal section 20. The coronal section includes a hexagonal projection 22 for mating with different dental components, such as a dental abutment.
The driver mount includes a bottom portion having a hexagonal recess 24 that engages with the hexagonal projection 22 on the implant. The driver mount also includes a bottom portion, a top portion, and a flange 26 extending outwardly between these two portions. This flange has a disc shape and has a larger diameter than the bottom portion.
A screw 28 secures the driver mount to the implant. Once connected, the driver mount and implant together fit within the internal cylindrical cavity formed within the vial. The flange 26 rests on the internal shoulder 13 to hold the implant and the driver mount in the vial and keep the implant from touching the sides or bottom of the vial.
In order to install implant 14 into a patient's jawbone, an implant site is prepared using conventional surgical procedures. Typically, an incision is made along the gingival tissue at the implant site, and a cylindrical bore is drilled into the jawbone. Once the drilling steps are finished and the site is fully prepared, the implant is ready to be inserted into the jawbone. First, a wrench, such as a motorized dental hand-piece, is fitted with a driving tool and then to the end of the driver mount. Typically the driving tool functions as an adapter between the wrench and the driver mount attached to the top of the implant. The driving tool is then used to remove the implant and driver mount from the vial. The end of the implant is fit within the bore of the jawbone, and the drive tool drives the implant into position within the bone. Once the implant is driven to the desired depth, the driving tool is removed from the end of the driver mount. Then, the screw 28 holding the driver mount is removed from the implant. If the implant has been placed in soft bone, the torque used to remove the driver mount screw may also act to unscrew the entire driver mount-implant assembly. In these cases, a countertorque tool is fitted to the driver mount to prevent the driver mount from rotating as the driver mount screw is removed. Now, the driver mount can be detached from the end of the implant. Once the driver mount is removed, the coronal end of the implant is exposed and must be covered. A separate healing cap (not shown) is obtained and positioned at the coronal end of the implant. A tool, different from that used to drive the implant, is used to screw the healing cap to the implant. The gingival tissue is then sutured, and the implant remains within the bone for several months as osseointegration and healing occur. During a second surgical procedure, the implant is re-exposed, the healing cap is removed, and a dental prosthesis is affixed to the implant.
Prior dental implant delivery systems have numerous disadvantages. One important disadvantage is that numerous surgical steps are required to implant a dental implant. As discussed above, these steps include uninstalling a driver mount, installing a healing cap, and changing driving tools several times. If many of these steps could be eliminated, the surgical implantation procedure would be much simpler, quicker, easier to learn, safer, and ultimately more efficient.
Another disadvantage is that prior delivery systems require various different tools and components to implant the dental implant. For example, a separate driver mount and driver mount screw are connected to the implant. Then, a driving tool connects to the driver mount to drive the implant into the bone. A countertorque tool and driver mount screw removal tool are then used to remove the driver mount and its screw. Next, a separate healing cap and accompanying healing screw are placed on the end of the implant. Yet another driving tool is then used to tighten the healing cap. If many of these tools and components were eliminated, fewer parts would be required to install an implant; and a significant cost savings could be realized.
Another disadvantage is that during the implantation procedure, the internal cavity of the implant may be susceptible to bacteria or other foreign material. Once the implant is driven into the jawbone, the driver mount is removed, and the internal cavity of the implant is exposed until the healing cap is positioned over this cavity. During the time before the healing cap is in place, bacteria or other foreign material may get inside the internal cavity of the implant. These trapped contaminants may increase the probability of infection, or solidify during the healing screw process, forming an adhesive glue inside the implant. This glue can make the healing cap difficult to remove during subsequent procedures. Elimination or reduction of this occurrence would provide benefits to the patient and doctor.
Another disadvantage is that the driver mount may add unwanted length or width to the delivery system. For example, some driver mounts (like the one shown in FIG. 1) are wider than the implant. In some instances then, it may be difficult or impossible to completely position the wide driver mount within tight inter-dental spaces. In particular, during a single tooth restoration, the implant often must be driven between two adjacent teeth, and the distance between these teeth may be too narrow to accommodate the driver mount. As another example, prior driver mounts add additional length to the end of the driving tool/driver mount/implant assembly. This additional length may make it difficult or impossible to properly position and then drive the implant into the bone. In particular, some locations in the posterior mandible or maxilla cannot be accessed if the implant, driver mount, and driving tool form an overall length that is too long.
As another disadvantage, the driver mount can occlude the view of the anti-rotational feature on the end of the implant. Most dental implants have an anti-rotational feature (such as a hexagon, octagon, or plurality of tines) at the coronal end that engages with a corresponding dental component, like an abutment. During some implantation procedures (for example, installation in the anterior mandible or maxilla), the doctor may need to view the orientation of these anti-rotational features once the implant is seated to the proper depth in the jawbone. In order to obtain this view, the driver mount must first be removed. If the implant is not correctly oriented, then the driver mount must be re-installed and the implant rotated to the correct position.
The present invention solves the problems discussed with prior dental delivery systems and provides further advantages.